Govt erred in Jinja dams â€" Isoke

Oct 18, 2004

Lands state minister Baguma Isoke yesterday said the Government made a mistake to construct two dams

By Mary Karugaba

Lands state minister Baguma Isoke yesterday said the Government made a mistake to construct two dams, Kiira and Nalubaale, at the same location in Jinja, saying this caused the drop of water levels.

He said some environmentalists attributed the water level to drought, yet splitting the river at the same point doubled the water demand.
“Even if there was flooding, load-shedding would still occur because of the division of the river,” he said, adding that the Government should have constructed the new dam down the river so that water is not divided.

Isoke was refuting claims by an official from Lake Victoria Environmental Manage-ment Project, Leo Mwebembezi, that the water level dropped due to evaporation.

The minister and the MPs on the economy committee were being briefed on the project’s performance ahead of a one-week tour of Lake Victoria.

He said the problem needed a national workshop with experts.
Mwebembezi said evaporation was the major cause of the drop, accounting for 70% let alone other factors like dumping and little rain.

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